secret girl stuff

This week has been a bit more tame in terms of my office life, but at home it’s been a whirlwind. I thought I was going to have to travel down south this week, so I packed in as many errands & chores as I could, and even took a personal day to get some stuff done.

The weekend has been no less busy. Yesterday, Rob and I went up to look at lot in New Hampshire. Our friends have a great house up there, and there just happens to be a lot for sale on the same road. It’s over 2 acres, and very affordable given the market. So we’ll see. That trip killed most of the day, leaving Sunday to pack in all of the cleaning, laundry, shopping, and cooking that I normally spread out over the weekend.

Then this morning, Rob got a call from his BIL and had to go watch their kids until noon. Not that either of us minds, but that makes the lions share of the chores fall to me.

As of 11:59 AM, I have accomplished the following:

Made coffee, took Bo on an hour long walk/hike in the conservation land, watered my garden, stripped and made the bed, vacuumed & dusted the entire house, mopped all of the floors downstairs, wiped down all of the windowsills that Bo manages to slime during the week, washed out Bo’s bowls & food stand thing, completed 2 loads of laundry, cooked split peas & brown rice for my salads this week, and made pizza dough for tonight’s dinner.

Not bad for 4.5 hours worth of work.

What’s left to do:

Return library books, grocery shopping, make brown rice salad recipe for lunches this week, walk Bo again, run 6 miles if my foot feels alright, cook dinner, wipe down the kitchen, and clean the bathrooms, which I am going to leave for Rob.

We have a running joke where one of us says, “that’s because I do everything around here,” and the other one rolls their eyes, or snorts with laughter.  If you’re asked, “what are you doing,” the correct response is, “doing everything around here, that’s what.”

It’s meant to be light hearted, but sometimes it does feel like one person IS doing everything around the house, and that kind of sucks. A few weeks ago, it was Rob, when my foot was so bad that I could barely walk. The other night it really felt like it had been my turn to do everything, and it upset me a lot.

But today feels different. Today it’s just part of helping each other out, and letting the other person enjoy the small amount of free time they have for the weekend. That’s all.

Still, it’s a freaking big list. I think he owes me big time. :)

I don’t know about other runners, but sometimes I am obtuse about when to get new shoes. I really try to keep my running shoes only for running, and log all my miles, but then either I forget to write stuff down, or I end up taking the dog for a walk before or after a run, or my feet hurt and I put my running shoes on because they are soft and comfortable. Before I know it, I’m well up over 350 miles (which is when my shoes tend to break down because I am not 130 lbs or less) and I need a new pair, but it usually takes a while for that fact to sink in.

Anyway, I can’t remember who suggested it to me, but one of my running friends said, “hey, now that you have new orthotics, have you ever considered downgrading to a stability shoe? You might have fewer problems with your feet with a less rigid shoe.” I thought, sure. Maybe. And if I don’t like them for running, I can just wear them around.

On Friday I happened to be returning something at DSW and decided to see what kind of running shoes they had (turns out, a lot). After doing a quick lookup online (thank you, iPhone), I decided to try out the Asics 2130s. My feet had been hurting with the PF and all, so I was wearing my old shoes with my orthotics in them, so let me tell you, when I put a new shoe on my left foot, comparing it with my Evolution 3 on my right, it was like night and day. Or rather, a cloud and a brick.

Soon I was home with my new shoes. I tried them on again, then back to the old ones. Holy crap. The cushioning in my old shoes was so broken down it was unreal, and I’d had no idea. To illustrate, here is a revealing photo:

In my mind, my old shoes were just a little dirty, but otherwise fine. I’d done my half marathon training in them, and probably an additional 50 miles of running before that, and about 20 miles of dog walking. Yeah. I am stupid.

Saturday was my first run in the new shoes. I can honestly say that I enjoyed that run completely, even though it was humid and had some steep hills. My orthotics, for the first time, didn’t give me any hot spots over my arches. My feet didn’t hurt (until hours afterward, but no more than usual), and I felt really good. No knee or shin issues with the new shoes. No ITB strain or back aches. Yay!

Today I’ll be running again, and we’ll see how they hold up. I think I’ve found a winner.

Yesterday I ran 5 miles, and it was alright, as 5 mile runs go in West Roxbury, which has always been kind of… meh. I know it sounds nutty, because I have a great 3, 4, and even 4.5 mile route, but 5 has always been a bit of a nuisance. 6, 7 and even 8 are all good. 9 is a problem, as is 10, so for those I end up driving to Cambridge. See? Nutty. Like I said.

The thing about a 5 mile loop in my neighborhood is that there are certain pleasant roads to take, and then there are roads which are either annoyingly hilly, offer no shade, have too much traffic, or force one to run on concrete sidewalks.

My 4 mile route is probably the most satisfying of the under 6 routes. From my house I head west on a relatively flat, well traveled but wide road. I then cut over to Grayfield - a lovely street with almost zero traffic - that ascends gradually until it terminates at Mt Vernon. Mt Vernon is even lovelier. It was named one of the best streets in Boston last year, and the homes are large, old, and nice to look at. Mt Vernon also offers a nice descent into the mile 1 mark, which is usually just when I start to feel good.

I pass the public library, hit the light and cross, and head up aptly named Bellevue Street. Bellevue is another one of those streets with a lot of large homes on big lots; old houses, with leaded glass windows and immaculate yards. It’s not as nice as some of its neighboring streets, but it offers another nice hill to climb before levelling out, then ascending again. Before the big ascent up to Bellevue Hill Park, I bail and loop around to the parkway, turning left. The parkway is a large divided expanse of road. Fine homes line either side, with large, sloping lawns, and even more grass to makeup the parkway itself. I hit mile 2 just before the parkway, run a couple of up and downs before crossing Centre St and heading back in the direction of my house, only several blocks over.

From Centre, I continue up the parkway, past the Holy Name Cathedral & school, up another steep but short hill, hit mile 3, and then descend down to the second parkway on my route. This parkway is darker, with huge old trees lining both sides, and the interior section, of the road. It is dark & cool here, and if it were not for the noise of the traffic, it would be a perfect place to run. I have to watch my step as the roots have buckled the sidewalk (and this is the only part of my run where I take to the sidewalk for more than 25 yards), but if it is light outside, it’s fine, even for someone as uncoordinated as myself.

The parkway here is pretty flat and I coast along until I have to head back uphill towards my house. It is here that I always, no matter how good a run I am having, begin to feel tired. There is no shade once I leave the parkway. I’m running uphill on a street with cars flanking both sides. The homes aren’t as nice to look at. I really just want the hill to be over.

And soon it is, and I’m rounding the corner (up another stupid little hill, g*d*mmit) to my house. I slow to a walk and count down the houses, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Bo hears me coming through the gate, begins to whine, and tries to contain himself at the back door. When I open the screen he dashes out and does his funny little hops, wanting to jump on me but knowing that he’s not allowed. I grab his leash from inside the door and take him for a walk, my face beet red, sweating, and start to cool down. Good or bad, my miles are in.

Well, I’m not totally better, but I’ve been massaging my foot (hard) and using The Stick to roll my calves, and I ran today without pain. Not only that, I got out of bed without pain! And then I cried. After that, I ran 3 miles. Woot!

I was thinking about RunnerSusan, and her post about having to get back into her training and not having more than a couple of good days. I felt for her, because I am feeling the exact same way, lately.

Maybe it’s work, or life, or the heat. I don’t know. After the half I felt like I was floating, with lots of aches & pains and no real purpose to my training (apart from the Corporate Challenge, which I wasn’t able to participate in because of work travel). But now I feel like maybe, just maybe, I have started again in earnest, with a schedule that works for all of us - Rob, Bo and me - and I am smiling after a run, and not cussing as much at hills and humidity, and there is no “oh my god, please make this end” feeling when I’m finishing up at 7am and it’s already hot.

So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

Now I just need to run tomorrow, and Thursday, and Saturday, and I’ll be good to go for my training. New Haven is questionable right now, but Baystate feels doable for sure.

I don’t know what the hell is up with my feet, but I am sick to death of this sh*t. Seriously. Ever since I got my orthotics, my left foot has been bothering me, and it’s not just from running. It feels like every pair of shoes I own are making it worse.

To make it better I’ve worn Keens, Birkenstocks (the cutest pair I could find, and wow, not very cute), Borns, and stayed away from flip flops, ballet flats, and the like. Yet, my heel is killing me. I’ve barely been able to run, let alone get out of bed in the morning without pain. I may have to resort to wearing running shoes all the time for a while.
I also think I need to see my podiatrist again, and maybe go see Dr. Brady for some ART. *sigh*

In other news, things are shaping up around the house. We’ve got a bunch of projects going on right now, a new sofa for Man Zone (George is taking the old loveseat, to match the sofa we already gave to him), and a weekend full of work to do on the deck, provided it doesn’t rain later this week.

Also, I just got back (Friday, at 2am) from a few days in Little Rock. We found a great place to eat there, and I talked with this really fun & interesting guy on the plane home, so it wasn’t a bad trip at all. Still, I’m glad to be back in Boston, with Rob and Bo (not so much Fred, who sucks but whom I still love anyway). I just wish that I had a few days off, or at least a few weeks before I have to travel again.

The long weekend can’t come soon enough…

Wow. I love this video. It’s so well written and emotionally engaging. Well done.

It’s been a few weeks since the race, and I am finally back to running. I was on vacation the week of Memorial Day, working around the house & in the yard, and taking a few days to head up to New Hampshire with Rob, Bo, and our friends. That was fun, but I ate and drank as if I was still running 20+ miles per week, and well, when you’re running zero miles per week, that’s a problem.

I ended up taking the next week off, too. This wasn’t necessarily on purpose. I ended up going down south for work (no, not Quincy. Not even the “deep south”, aka Rhode Island!) and then it was about 90 for a few days, so F that, you know? Then that weekend, I went to NYC with Jen, Chris, and a bunch of our running friends for Amy’s going away party. Took pictures. Again, more eating and drinking, and sitting around on the Bolt Bus. Ho hum.

But last week, I laced up my shoes and headed out in the stupid heat for 3 miles or so. The next day, I was up at 5:30 am (thank you, Bo) and did some badly needed yoga. I joked on Twitter that Creak, Pop, and Ow were the new, geriatric rice krispies. One more 3 miler and a 4 miler rounded out the week. I finally feel like myself again, in spite of the creaks, pops and ows.

That said, I’m writing this after taking a break from working on my summer/fall running schedule. I’d still like to run New Haven and Lowell/Baystate in what seems like just a few months. Yikes, that is soon!

Anyway, I was kind of bummed out because I hadn’t been running and the last few runs have seemed extra hard, both mentally and physically, but so it goes. I feel pretty good, and I’m back at it. That’s the best I can do for now.

I’ve been off this week, using some of my carried-over vacation time, I think. And you know what? I’ve been freaking busting my ass!

That’s a bit of a dramatization, I guess. It feels like I’ve been busting my ass because my back hurts, I’m tired, and I have to go back to work on Monday being all, “what? But I still have 203 things to do! What do you mean I leave for Little Rock on Monday?”

So. Yeah. Ass-busting apparently suits me, because even on my vacation I can’t just relax and chill - except for tomorrow and Saturday when we go to New Hampshire with our friends, drink beer, and hang out in the woods - but then, then (!), it is all back to business on Sunday.

Take a look at what we’ve done this week. Yard work. A shed-raising. Plus spring cleaning, which is awfully boring, somewhat gross, and takes twice as long as you think, in spite of the fact that you keep your house clean on a regular basis. Sigh and woe.

The good news is that now the place smells like castile soap and you could pretty much eat off of the little space in the windows between the screens and the actual window part. I mean, if you wanted to.

The bad news is that I could get used to this life, this not working, but again with the sigh and woe, because it will be a long time before that’s a reality.

Well, I can say this about the half: it was a real challenge, I’m glad it’s over, and I can’t wait for the next one. Although I didn’t have the race that I wanted, it was still a proud moment for me and I still can’t believe I ran that far.

There were a bunch of reasons for having a somewhat disappointing race, but I don’t really want to get into it. I mean, it’s the first one - the baseline - so I don’t really care that my time sucked. I talked to Caitlin afterwards and she was pretty pissed about her time, the heat, etc., so I don’t feel as bad about my own race. Elissa was really struggling with the heat, too, and I ended up splitting off from her just past mile 10, finishing about 6 minutes ahead.

Whatever. I’m done. I earned my medal. Now it’s 2 days off, and then I’ll figure out what’s next. New Haven, probably, and/or the Lowell Half in October.